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The Spanish Civil War's Impact on Literature

The Spanish Civil War caused a radical break in the literary field. Some poets, such as Federico García Lorca, died in the war or as a result of it, like Miguel Hernández. Others, such as Luis Cernuda, went into exile, while others, like Vicente Aleixandre, continued their work in Spain. Moreover, new trends emerged that would shape generations of poetry in these decades.

Rooted Poetry: Themes of Victory and Tradition

In the early forties, poetry returned to classic themes such as love, religion, and homeland, and incorporated new themes like the meaning of the imperial state. This was poetry for and by the victors of the war, often termed 'rooted poetry'. Notable poets of this trend include Dionisio

Generation of '27

In the 1920s, a group of outstanding poets emerged, renewing Spanish poetry of the twentieth century. This group, often associated with the tribute to Góngora's tercentenary, included Jorge Guillén, Salinas, Alberti, Lorca, Dámaso Alonso, Gerardo Diego, Cernuda, Aleixandre, Manuel Altolaguirre, and Emilio Prados. They aimed to renew poetic language, influenced by modern and avant-garde traditions. Characteristics adopted by the Generation of '27 included intellectual poetry, hermeticism, minority appeal, originality, and self-sufficiency of art. They used free verse and metaphors.

Stages:

1. Up to 1927: Influence of Juan Ramón and 'pure' poetry.
2. Until 1939: Stage of maturity, re-humanization of poetry.
3. Emerging poets and exile

Federico García Lorca: Key Figure of the Generation of '27

Federico García Lorca was a key figure in the Generation of '27 due to his influential literary work and his crucial role in Spanish cultural life.

Central Themes in Lorca's Poetic World

Lorca's poetic world is often tragic and violent. His central themes include:

• Love: Love is presented as a true life force and source of energy and fullness, validating all erotic inclination. However, the love relationship is frequently condemned to frustration.
• Death: The failure of love often leads to death. Its mysterious presence permeates situations, characters, and history, exercising a powerful attraction.
• Children/Innocence: Childhood is seen as the age of innocence. Lorca's poetry often recreates

El Libro de Buen Amor: A 14th-Century Masterpiece

Mester de Clerecía continues into the 14th century. The great work written in this period is El Libro de Buen Amor by the Archpriest of Hita. This name has been used since the early 20th century for a work composed of 1728 verses, originally known as the Archpriest's work. Ramón Menéndez Pidal was the philologist who proposed the new title due to the frequent use of the phrase 'buen amor' (good love) within the text.

Authorship and Versions

Two surviving versions of the work exist: one from the year 1330 and another from 1343. The latter is considered the definitive version. The author provides limited data about himself; it is known that Juan Ruiz was his name, and he was an archpriest in the... Continue reading "14th-Century Spanish Literature: Juan Ruiz and Don Juan Manuel" »

Catalan Theater: From Post-War Silence to Resurgence

The Post-War Landscape (1939-1950s)

The triumph of the dictatorship forced Catalan theater into silence, as performances in Catalan were strictly prohibited. This ban was rigorously enforced across Catalonia and Valencia, with only a few exceptions allowed in Mallorca. The Catalan theater scene between 1939 and 1946 presented a bleak picture. However, from 1946 onwards, the possibility of working in Catalan began to emerge. It was Josep Segarra who, in that year, released The Prestige of the Dead. These years also saw important premieres by Carlos Soldevila and Lluís Elías.

In the 1950s, as Franco's regime entered a new phase, the situation gradually became more permissive, thus more favorable... Continue reading "Catalan Theater Under Franco: Repression and Resilience" »

17th-Century Spanish Theater

Religious Theater

Manifested through mystery plays, short allegorical pieces presented within religious ceremonies, often depicting abstract figures and themes like the Eucharist or communion.

Court Theater

Performed in palace gardens or halls, particularly during Philip IV's reign. Set design innovations allowed for spectacular special effects in mythological or fantastical comedies.

Structure of Plays

Plays began with a celebratory opening, followed by the first act. An interlude separated the first and second acts. Singing or a short greeting introduced the third act, concluding with a farce.

Lope de Vega

Poetry and Narrative

A skilled poet with a natural and accessible style. He wrote traditional lyric poetry, sonnets,... Continue reading "17th-Century Spanish Theater: Lope de Vega & Calderón de la Barca" »

Spanish Ballads: Origins and Evolution

Ballads are brief epic-lyrical compositions, often accompanied by an instrument. Early romances date back to the fifteenth century. These compositions were anonymous and transmitted alongside the chanson de geste.

Metrical Structure of Ballads

They typically consist of a limited number of 8-syllable verses, rhyming in assonance in pairs. The odd-numbered lines are often unrhymed.

Categories of Spanish Ballads

• Historical Ballads:

  Addressing themes similar to epic poems. For example, the ballads of Bernardo del Carpio and The Seven Infantes of Lara.

• Border Ballads:

  Focusing on issues related to border warfare between Moors and Christians. Many depict forbidden love affairs between a Christian and a Moor.

• Lyric

What is an Editorial?

An editorial is an argumentative text that explains and assesses a significant journalistic event.

Characteristics of an Editorial

• Authorship: The editorial is an unsigned text that aims to show a collective opinion.
• Theme: Must be current and relevant, often linked to politics, economics, etc.
• Function: To explain the fundamentals of its subject matter.
• Status: Appears in a prominent place in the opinion section of a medium.
• Adequacy: Must be suitable for the speaker's communicative intentions, the situation in which it develops, and the relationship between all parties involved.
• Coherence: Must be organized and arranged according to a major theme from which secondary ideas arise.
• Cohesion: Its components must be connected by

Origins of Catalan Literature

Catalan literature emerged from Vulgar Latin in the 12th century. The earliest known texts include legal judgments from the 12th century and the Homilies of Organyà (sermons).

Medieval Catalan Literature (13th-15th Centuries)

From the 13th to the 15th centuries, Catalan literary works achieved a high standard compared to other Romance languages. Scribes were significantly influenced by Occitan poets of the 15th century.

Prose in Medieval Catalan Literature

• Religious and Moral Prose: Notable figures like Ramon Llull and Vincent Ferrer produced numerous works rich in lexical and syntactical complexity, revealing a deep Christian rhetorical culture.
• Narrative Background: This genre encompassed historical accounts, personal

Hispanic American Fiction: Magical Realism

The 1940s saw a focus on the unique American experience through an aesthetic blending realism and fantasy. This approach, known as magical realism, sought to capture the essence of the American world. It was a literary movement that renovated existing aesthetics tied to the European avant-garde, but with a distinct aim: to reflect American reality. In magical realism, the extraordinary is presented as ordinary, and the most fantastical events are grounded in everyday life.

This new reality is characterized by Hispanic stylistic innovation and a desire to unravel the American peculiarity through a synthesis of reality and fantasy. New themes emerged, including nature, the indigenous world, political issues,... Continue reading "Magical Realism in Hispanic American Fiction: Themes and Techniques" »